There exists in the art a medicine dispensing device which images a medicine before packing the medicine into a packing paper and then inspects the medicine, and a medicine dispensing device which images the medicine after packing the medicine and then inspects the medicine.
In the former, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, only tablets needed to be inspected are supplied to a turntable, and are imaged by a camera, and are then transferred from a discharge hopper via a transfer conveyor, and thereafter are packed one pack at a time by a packing device.
In the latter, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, packed tablets are imaged by an imaging device while being illuminated by an illumination device, and the number of the tablets is counted from a negative image.
However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is no disclosure as to a structure for inverting the tablet. Thus, when an engraved information is not formed on a front surface of the transferred medicine, but on a back surface of the medicine, the engraved information cannot be read.
Further, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2, tablets are photographed under a state where a packing paper is interposed between the tablets and the imaging device. Thus, it is impossible to read an engraving or the like formed on a surface of the tablet. Further, there is a concern in that imaging cannot be performed properly due to overlapping tablets.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4034404
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 4439433